


The Farm Team

by likesflowers



Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Goat Farm, It's not a joke, Sassy Bucky Barnes, Sassy Steve Rogers, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-06-01 08:23:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15139070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likesflowers/pseuds/likesflowers
Summary: Shuri: Hey wut dz CB grow on hs frm?Steve looked at the message for a long moment. It took him a moment to decode it, partly because there were not enough vowels but mostly because it was such a strange question for Princess Shuri to be sending on the emergency phone.It dinged again.Its B btw, brrowd Her Magnificent Highness’s phn.





	The Farm Team

_ Shuri: Hey wut dz CB grow on hs frm? _

 

Steve looked at the message for a long moment. It took him a moment to decode it, partly because there were not enough vowels but mostly because it was such a strange question for Princess Shuri to be sending on the emergency phone.

 

It dinged again.  _ Its B btw, brrowd Her Magnificent Highness’s phn. _

 

Why Princess Shuri’s probably-not-real title got all the letters, he wasn’t sure, but the tone of the message brought a smile to Steve’s face. He could practically hear Buck teasing his favorite cousin in the same tone of voice at the 4th of July, 1933.

 

_ Shuri: Its nt urg. Fnsh ur fght 1st then txt me. _

 

Steve rolled his eyes and Natasha looked over from the pilot’s chair. “Something wrong?”

 

Steve shook his head fondly. “I don’t...think so? Bucky stole a phone and is asking about Barton’s farm.” 

 

Natasha looked worried. “Don’t give him the location, Steve. I know he’s trustworthy and those lines are secure, but…”

 

“No, no. He wants to know what crops they grow. And no, I have no idea why.” Bucky had always been a city boy, complained bitterly about the lack of pavement in the war, more than he complained about the food, or the hole in his left boot, or the cold. Almost more than he complained about Hydra. His interest in farms before had been pretty much limited to whether or not they could crash in the barn and whether or not the farmer had a pretty daughter. This was the first time Steve was 100% sure Bucky actually knew what farms were  _ for. _

 

Natasha had that level, blank look which meant she was processing a lot of information very fast in order to form a coherent picture. He could see when she gave up trying to make sense of it in the miniscule lowering of her right eyebrow. When had he learned to read her microexpressions so well?

 

“Corn, mostly. It’s Iowa.” 

 

_ SGR: N says corn mostly. Y? _

 

Right after he sent it, she added more. “Laura’s got a patch set aside just for the house and a few lucky neighbors that has a lot more variety. Tomatoes, green beans, peppers, carrots, beets, squash, that kind of stuff. Her spring asparagus is famous throughout the county. Lila planted a pear tree two years ago but no fruit yet.” 

 

Because of course the Black Widow knows the ins and outs of the Barton’s farm. Steve wonders exactly how much time she spent there before...everything. 

 

_ SGR: The house garden has lots of variety tho. Want me to ask him for some tips? _

 

Teasing Bucky, even through text message, felt like coming home. An odd way to feel in a futuristic quinjet on the run from 117 nations, but it was true.

 

He was pretty sure Bucky was just continuing the joke when he saw the response. At least 70% sure. 

 

_ Shuri: No brly? dmmt. Ask chickp v lent. Also gts &o chkn? _

 

Rather than decipher it himself, he leant over and showed Natasha. “What is he talking about?”

 

Natasha murmured the words aloud to herself as if trying to decode an intercepted missive. Finally, she looked up, smiling. “Is he starting a farm?”

 

Steve let out a laugh. “In ‘44 I heard him tell Gabe he’d rather fight this war for another fifty years than help plow for the farmer who was sheltering us for one more hour.” In retrospect, it was a pretty prescient comment, painfully so. 

 

Nat noticed it immediately, and handled it the way she usually did when there were unexpected emotional moments that weren’t mission-critical. She made it a joke. “I didn’t know he could tell the future, too, along with using a rocket launcher and getting you to shut up. Tell him Laura loves the chickens except for when she hates them, which is usually in the morning.” Before he could, the phone beeped again. 

 

_ Shuri: Sry abt that. hell get hs own phn nxt wk. Gtg Go fght win!  _

 

It did not take Steve very long to decode this one, although why Princess Shuri  _ also _ texted like vowels were going out of style was another question. But it sounded like she was busy, and they were now only about ten minutes outside the suspected base for a particularly malicious group of arms dealers, so Steve didn’t answer and put the phone away and went to get his gear ready for the fight.

 

\----------------

 

“Clint thinks goats are a good idea, as long as the pen is well-constructed. They do a great job keeping the grass down, apparently, and goat cheese is a thing now, he says.” 

 

Steve had no idea when she had the opportunity to talk to Clint at all in the last 12 hours, let alone about something as trivial as Bucky’s pretend farm. They were all insane, caught in some kind of folie-au-trois. At least it wasn’t a harmfully crazy idea.

 

He decided to humor them. “Sure. I’ll let him know.”

 

\-------------------

 

Six days after the fight, Steve’s bruises had healed and Wanda’s twisted ankle was almost completely better. They were resting in a remote area of Mongolia, soaking up the sunshine while Sam went for a run. Steve had finished his twenty minutes ago.

 

His phone beeped; he had a message from an unknown number. Which shouldn’t happen--exactly three people had this number. He opened it cautiously.

 

_ Unknown: Srsly chkp or lent? Bying sd tmro, nd adv. From frmr CB not U _

 

SGR:  _ Hi Bucky. How are you? _

 

Unknown:  _ Hi Stv im fin but nt if u dnt hlp me. This is impt which puls is btr  _

 

_ Unknown: Im alrdy a wk late plnting Steve. Farming is strssfl. _

 

A snort. Oh, Buck. But if he wanted to continue the joke Steve wouldn’t take it away from him. He looked at Wanda, schooling his face into a mock-serious expression so she’s know he was joking. “Should Bucky plant chickpeas or lentils? It is apparently a crisis-causing question.”

 

Wanda looked understandably baffled at that. “Tell him to plant whatever the neighbors are planting. They know the soil.” 

 

_ SGR: W says do whatever your neighbors do. _

 

_ Unknown: NT HLPFUL. Eside lent, Sside chkp, Wside RHINOS. NOT GROWInG RHINOS stv. _

 

Steve read that one aloud to Wanda. They were still laughing when Sam came back, huffing as he asked “What?” with serious indignation.

 

\-------------

 

_ SGR: Did you get the seeds all sorted out yesterday? _

 

It took over an hour to get a response.

 

_ JBB: No thx to u. HMH says chkp bc humms & gt chz r delic _

 

_ JBB: also Kirin says its ezier 2 hrvst. Says hell give me a hand _

 

JBB: :)

 

SGR:  _ Who taught you about emojis? _

 

_ JBB: Hydra who tght u? _

 

Steve felt his guts clench. Oh, Buck.  You’re back. God, how much he’d missed Bucky’s dry dark humor. 

 

SGR:  _ Nat. She uses them all the time. _

 

_ JBB: u txting dames now? Look @ u. All grn up. _

 

_ SGR: V. funny. Seriously, Buck, how are you? _

 

_ JBB: fine. Quit wrryng. HMH has my bck and shes a genius. Im btr than ive bn in yrs.  _

 

_ SGR: Good. _

 

_ SGR: If she’s such a genius, surely she can figure out a way for you to be able to use vowels again? _

 

_ JBB: ur a punk _

 

_ SGR: jerk _

 

_ JBB: Im an upstdng mmbr of the cmmnty. Evry1 <3 me here _

 

_ SGR: I believe you. It’s good to hear from you, Buck. _

 

_ JBB: You too. _

 

_ \-------------- _

 

_ JBB: U evr mlk a gt 1hnded? _

 

_ SGR: No, can’t say that I have. How is it? _

 

_ JBB: Pn in hte ass. _

 

_ SGR: You don’t even like milk, Bucky.  _

 

_ JBB: Its for chz u idiot. Who dsnt like chz? _

 

_ SGR: Who taught you how to make cheese? _

 

_ JBB: Hydra _

 

_ JBB: Nt rlly it was that Fr frm grl in ‘44. With the legs. Kirins going to hlp 1st tm if i gv 1 blk to hm. _

 

Steve was honestly shocked that he knew exactly which French farm girl Bucky was talking about. She’d been running the farm herself after her dad passed, and was as good with a shotgun as she was with a plow. All the Commandos had been a bit in love with her. He wondered what happened to her. 

 

He also couldn’t believe that Bucky was  _ still _ taking the farm joke so seriously. Man always did run a joke into the ground and keep going, though, and Steve wasn’t going to be the one to blink.

 

_ SGR: Save me a block too. If it turns out okay. _

 

_ JBB: u get 2nd time. 1st already all prmsd. HMH wants 4. _

 

_ SGR: Look at you, charming the royals. I gotta run, we’re on mission. Take care of yourself.  _

 

_ SGR: And those goats. _

 

_ JBB: F the gts. Tiny stubbrn assholes w hrns. Dont get shot _

 

_ SGR: I’ll do my best. _

 

When Steve did, in fact, get shot an hour later (a graze on his right shoulder, not really a big deal, especially for him) he swore everyone on the quinjet to secrecy.

 

\--------------

 

One afternoon when they were over the Indian ocean, Wanda came over to Steve, phone in hand. “Why is Clint asking me if Barnes has strawberries?”

 

Steve sighed. “There was a joke about Barnes starting a farm, like 2 months ago. Apparently this joke never dies.”

 

Wanda looked a little puzzled. “Clint did not use the emoji he uses for jokes.”

 

Steve wasn’t sure he wanted to know. “Which one?”

 

“With the sunglasses. Because it is cool.” 

 

Steve wasn’t entirely sure that was totally true, but it sounded like something Clint would do. “Huh. He never jokes with me then.”

 

Wanda smiled. “You might have a different joke emoji. I think the one he uses with Nat is a kick in the face.” 

 

Steve was not going to try to decode that one, not at all. “Huh.”

 

Wanda looked down as the phone beeped. “Clint says to tell him strawberries need good drainage or to be covered during bad weather. Something about a tropical storm on the news.”

 

“You’re enabling them in this ridiculous idea?”

 

Wanda smiled. “Sure. Also I want some jam from Wakandan strawberries and if the plants drown I won’t get it.” 

 

Steve sighed as he pulled out his phone.

 

_ SGR: Clint says cover the strawberries bc there’s a storm coming. If you have strawberries. _

 

_ JBB: thx Kirin sggsted that too. Will nd LBs jam recp in 3wks cn u get it fr me? _

 

_ SGR: You want me to ask THE Laura Barton for her secret family recipe? What kind of lunatic do you think I am? _

 

_ JBB: CB said she likes u wrth a try? _

 

_ SGR: I’ll think about it. _

 

_ JBB: C if u get any jam _

 

_ \-------------- _

 

When the phone rang in the middle of the night over the South Pacific, Steve answered it without looking at the caller. Any of the people who had this number texted for things that weren’t matters of life or death. “Rogers.”

 

“Captain, I hope I did not wake you. How are you?” T’challa’s voice was warm and relaxed; not the voice of a man facing a crisis.

 

Steve pulled himself up and looked around at the others; Wanda was still asleep, but Nat had her eyes open and a question on her face. Steve shook his head at her and she closed her eyes again. He stood up and moved to the back where it would be a little quieter, although not much.

 

“Your highness, good evening. We’re fine. Taking a few days to collect intel, is all. How is everyone at the palace?” Steve winced slightly as he heard himself speak. He did not really know how to make small talk with the King of Wakanda. He managed it fine with Thor, though, who was a prince, so it shouldn’t feel this awkward. He wondered why the hell T’Challa was calling.

 

“We are fine, here. My sister Shuri sends her regards.” A faint feminine shout in the background led Steve to believe that whatever Shuri had actually said, it was not ‘my regards’.  T’Challa continued as if nothing had happened. “We had dinner tonight with a mutual friend, and he suggested you might want to come visit sometime, if I were to permit it. Is that something you would be interested in arranging?” T’Challa’s voice was cautious, as if he wasn’t sure Steve would want to visit. Which was….yes, Steve had a lot of mixed feelings about a lot of things, but seeing Bucky was not one of them. Especially given that, based on their text messages, Bucky seemed to be  _ himself _ again in a way he wasn’t even in Germany the  _ first time _ .

 

Steve responded with the same sort of caution. “I would be delighted to, actually, but only if my visiting won’t put you in a problematic spot, or set back his recovery.”

 

T’Challa chuckled slightly. “Well you will not be boarding a regular airliner and flying coach to arrive, but I think it will do more good than harm for you to visit. For all of us.” 

 

Steve warmed at that. He didn’t know T’Challa well, but he respected him, and the thought of getting to know him a little better was a good one. “What about the rest of my team?”

 

“Unfortunately, at this time it is an offer for one. Perhaps another time they will all visit.” 

 

Steve thought about it briefly. He absolutely wanted to go see see Bucky, but he didn’t want to abandon his team. But he trusted them, too. They’d be fine for a few days without him.

 

“How long a trip were you thinking?” 

 

T’Challa was quiet, as if he too was thinking about all the possibilities of how this could go wrong. “Perhaps four or five days. I know I am not the only one with responsibilities here.” 

 

“Then, yes. I would very much like to make this work.” 

 

T’Challa’s voice was warm as he replied. “Then I will tell him to expect you soon. I will confer with my chief of security and text you the date and location for your transport pickup. Is there anywhere that will be impossible for you to get to in the next week or so?”

 

Steve frowned. “We’re avoiding US airspace, but pretty much anywhere else is fine.” 

 

“Then I will see you soon, Captain. Goodnight.”

 

“Goodnight, your highness.”

 

\-------------

 

Steve waited until morning to tell the team about his trip, and by then he already had a new message with the arrangements for two days away. There had also been a tip about bringing a Venti Caramel Frappucino to get on Okoye’s good side. 

 

Steve would absolutely be doing that. 

 

His teammates took it pretty well, actually. Nat said it would do him good to take a vacation and Wanda had that look that meant, after he got back, she’d be taking one of her own. Probably in the same city that Vision was totally-not-coincidentally also taking a vacation in. 

 

Sam did not look happy, but he didn’t say anything, even when Steve prompted him about it. Since he didn’t actually want to hear Sam say mean things about Steve or about Bucky, he dropped it pretty quickly.

 

\-------------

 

Two days later, Steve was dressed in cargo shorts and a green t-shirt with a ridiculous slogan and a backpacker’s backpack at his feet as he waited at the less popular bus station in the outskirts of Hue. The Frappacino was in an insulated thermos on the bench next to him. 

 

Okoye actually smiled when Steve handed it to her. Steve was really, really glad T’Challa had suggested it.

 

He hoisted his bag onto his shoulders and followed her out and around the corner, to where her jet was waiting. Invisible. As one does.

 

\------------

 

They arrived in Wakandan air space right around sunset, and Okoye consulted a short message  on the display before sighing dramatically and murmuring to herself. “The White Wolf loves his drama.”

 

To Steve, she simply said, “You will not be going to the palace tonight. T’Challa expects you in 2 days for dinner. At 6. Don’t be late.” She punched something into the console and steered the jet away from the city, still visible but now on the far left side of the window.

 

She set the jet down a few minutes later in what appeared to be a field at the edge of the lake. Steve wondered if there was some sort of problem, if his arrival had been discovered and he needed to lay low for a few days. Okoye wasn’t telling him much, either. She let down the ramp and pointed to a light about 300 meters away. “You see that house? Go there. Don’t forget, 6pm Thursday. He knows how to get there.”

 

Steve grabbed his bag and left. The jet took off immediately, barely stirring the waist-high grains--maybe wheat? Steve wasn’t sure--around them. He felt worried. Maybe the people at the house will take him to see Bucky. Maybe Bucky was in the hospital again and couldn’t see Steve yet. Maybe...he knocked on the wooden door.

 

It opened suddenly, without any warning sounds from behind it, causing Steve to jump. Bucky stood on the other side of the door, staring at Steve.

 

Steve stared back. Bucky looked...good. He was relaxed, his hair still long but pulled back into a bun. He was wearing traditional Wakandan clothes and they suited him well. The blue of the blanket covering his left arm was almost the same color as his favorite coat had been during the war. He had a smudge of dirt above his left eyebrow, but his face was clear of the stress lines it had been carrying since 1943.

 

“I thought you were going to be here after dinner! It’s...it’s really good to see you.” Bucky was smiling, started to lean forward, then paused. Steve took it for the cue it was and reached out to complete the hug. 

 

“Buck! I didn’t know you’d be here at all. When Okoye dropped me off she made it sound like something was wrong.” 

 

Bucky pulled back, arm still on Steve’s shoulder. “Yeah, she does that. She’s pissed I didn’t save any strawberries for her.” 

 

Steve wanted to look around, but he didn’t want to stop looking at Bucky, either. “Why are you  _ here _ , though? Instead of the palace?”

 

Bucky looked at him like he was an idiot. “I live here, you idiot. I told you about it months ago. Where did you think you were going to stay?” 

 

Steve looked around. In the light from the doorway he could see shadows moving in a pen nearby, He heard a faint clucking from a shed on the other side. He’d walked carefully through a field of waist-high plants to get the building. 

 

It was definitely a farm.

 

“You were SERIOUS about the farm? I thought you and Clint were pranking me.”

 

“Why the hell would I work with  _ Clint _ to prank you? Man can’t keep a straight face to save his life. Even his joke  _ texts _ use emojis to spoil it.”

 

“I am noticing you are not saying that you wouldn’t prank me.”

 

Bucky paused, cracked that killer smile. “Of course I would, you punk. Now get inside and eat some dinner. I’ll give you the full tour tomorrow morning.”

 

\-------------

 

They were half an hour late to the dinner. Bucky blamed the goats. No one believed him.

 


End file.
